Husband, wife arrested in Webster triple-homicide

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Prosecutors said a 5-year-old Webster County girl told police her father fatally shot three people following an altercation Wednesday night.

Police said the man's wife attempted to hide the bodies while the man fled.

At about 6:40 p.m., Amanda York, 28, of Hacker Valley, called Webster County 911 and said she shot three people and they were lying in her yard, according to a news release issued by Webster County Prosecuting Attorney Dwayne Vandevender.

Police arrived at the home along Replete Road in Hacker Valley and discovered the bodies of Dustin Brown, 26, Lamar D. Allen Coates, 49, and Denise L. Coates, 49, all of Hacker Valley.

Police spoke to the 5-year-old girl, who told them she'd seen her father, Michael York, 44, of Hacker Valley, commit the shootings, according to the release.

Amanda York then allegedly confirmed that she and Michael York had been in an altercation with the three shooting victims earlier that day at the Coates home.

When the Yorks returned to their home, the three victims showed up to continue the altercation, Amanda York said. That's when Michael York fatally shot them outside the house, the news release said.

Amanda York said she stayed behind to hide the bodies while Michael York attempted to flee to Ashland, Ky. She allegedly said later that her husband hid the bodies before fleeing, and that she helped him.

Police arrested Amanda York and charged her with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a dead body.

Michael York was captured at about 10 p.m. Wednesday in northern Kanawha County on Interstate 79, north of Clendenin. He made it about 85 miles before being apprehended.

He was arrested and also charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of concealment of a dead body.

Amanda and Michael York are being held in Central Regional Jail without bail.

They will have preliminary hearings in Webster County Magistrate Court on July 9.